Just six days after a NATO-led enhanced air patrol mission began operating in the Baltic states, two F-16 fighter jets from the Carpathian Vipers squadron were alerted by the NATO Air Operations Center in Wedem, Germany.

In NATO’s area of ​​responsibility, two unidentified aircraft were detected flying over international waters.

According to standard procedures, Romanian F-16s were raised on alert to clarify the air situation. After interception, the aircraft were identified as two Su-27 flankers belonging to the Russian Federation.

According to the Romanian Air Force, they were safely removed from the area of ​​responsibility of the Alliance.

“The successful completion of the first interception as part of the enhanced air police mission in the Baltic states confirms the high level of combat capability of the Carpathian Vipers detachment and the ability of the Romanian Air Force to deploy and use F-16 aircraft in NATO. mission”. – said the commander of the combat unit Kosmin Vlad.